Sample and paste a color from one object with a gradient to another object with a gradient

I have 2 images with the same object in them. Both objects have a gradient. I want to sample the color of the first object and paste it into the second object without destroying the gradient in the second object.

Choosing the eyedropper tool and sampling the color, then double-clicking on the fill-icon at the bottom of the tool panel, seems to work. When the color-picker panel comes up, the numeric value of colors without a gradient is in that window. But when I sample the color of the object with the gradient, the color-picker panel does not give me the correct numeric value of the color.

In all cases though, as soon as I sample the color of ANY object in the first image, the fill-icon changes to that color, with or without gradient. Sampling the gradient color gives me that color, (with the gradient), in the fill-icon. But when I double-click on the fill-icon, the gradient object color does not come up in the color-picker panel. So I'll be unable to paste it into the second object.